Device for closing a bag

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an apparatus for automatically retaining a filled bag by means of controlled flaps. The retaining apparatus is further pivotably mounted, enabling cooperating with closure means which preferably consists of a twisting device. The advantages of the invention are that a better modelling of the closed bag is possible, that the controlled flap not only retains the bag, but in many instances maintains the shape of the filled bag in a desired way and that the bag closure may be located at a desired location of the bag.

United States Patent [191 Mosterd 154] DEVICE FOR CLOSING A'BAG [76] Inventor: Jacob Hendrik Mosterd, En

Merkenbureau De Wit N. V., 11 Surinamestraat, The Hague, Netherlands [22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 287,791

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 10, 1971 Netherlands 7112520 [52] US. Cl. 53/124 A, 53/124 CC, 53/170 [51] Int. Cl B651! 63/00, B65b 63/02 [58] Field of Search 53/285,370, 371, 124 A,

53/124 CC, 124 T5, 124 R, 138 A, 198 A; 100/264 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS l/1970 Delestatius; 100/ 264 X 6/1941 Clark 53/285 X 14 May 21,1974

Hansel 53/370 X 3,342,015 9/1967 Kawasaki et a1... 53/370 X 3,131,522 5/1964 Latini et al. 53/370 X 10/1966 Latini et a1. 53/370 Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner-Horace M. Culver Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Larson, Taylor & Hinds [57] ABSTRACT The invention provides an apparatus for automatically retaining a filled bag by means of controlled flaps. The retaining apparatus is further pivotably mounted, enabling cooperating with closure means which preferably consists of a twisting device, The advantages of the invention are that a better modelling of the closed bag is possible, that the controlled flap notonly retains the bag, but in many instances maintains the shape of the filled bag in a desired way and thatthe bagclosure may be located at a desired location of the bag.

I 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I i SHEET 1 [IF 5 I FIG.1

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1 DEVICE FOR CLOSING A BAG The invention relates to a device for packing one or more objects in a bag provided with a support for a bag containing said objects. 7

With a device of this type it is often necessary to retain the bag during its closure. Further it happens, that the objects in the bag alter their position in an undesired way. So may for instance, when the bag contains a chicken, a leg that had been folded against the chickens breast, spring back.

If the object or the objects has or have been pressed or modelled in the bag it is of special'impor-tance to maintain the form and mutual position of the objects.

Still further it is highly desired to enable a complete automatic closing of bags containing objects in order to save labour.

The invention aims at providing a device overcoming the above indicated disadvantages and enabling corn-v plete automatic handling of bags containing objects in a simple and efficient way. According to the invention a device for packing one or more objects ina bag provided with a support for a bag containing said objects is characterized in that the said support is provided with movable flaps and in that control means are present for moving said flaps from a first open position in which the flaps are spaced from each other, into a second closed position (FIG. 4) in which the flaps are nearer to each other than in the said first position.

For enabling an easy cooperation with closure means it is provided according to a preferred embodiment of the invention that the said support and flaps are tiltably mounted and further control means'are present fortilting said support and flaps.

. 2 FIG. 4 shows the detail of FIG. 3 in a further position;

FIG. 5 shows the same detail in still a further position; 3

FIG. 6 shows a section of a further detail of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a view from below of part of FIG. 1,1

' used in the shown device.

This feature is favourable in that firstly when tilting the support with the flaps cooperation with closure means is enhanced, whereas tilting back during the working of the closure means stretches the bag. Finally it is possible to locatethe closure at a desired location of the bag.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by a closure means-provided with anoblong gripping means for gripping the upper portion of a bag protruding from said flaps and with V-shaped claw means movably mounted from a first position near the ends of said gripping means to the centre of'said means and with a gripping control means.

A simple and cheap embodiment consists in that the whole device is mounted on a frame movablealong a predetermined track. This embodiment allows the derivation of all control actions from stationary guides and other members located along said track, so that an accurate control is possible without .pneumatical, hydraulical. electrical or electro-magnetical power and control means. I

The'above and other features and advantages of the invention will be clear from the description of anembodiment that is schematically shown in the drawings.

A conveyor (not shown) bears a number of devices for supporting and closing filled bags, one of said devices being described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9. The path of the conveyor has'a portion, in which an apparatus for modelling and filling bags (not shown) is mounted above the shown device for supporting and closing the filled bags.

The apparatus for supporting and for closing the bags, shown in the drawings moves parallel with an apparatus (not shown) for delivering a filled open bag.

The supporting and closing device is mounted on a frame 100, which by means of rollers l0l rests on a guide 102, which has a fixed height position. Frame is provided with uprights 103 and 104. Uprights 103 and 104 bear a frame member 105, to which a pair of ball bearings 106 and 107 are attached. Ball bearings 106 and 107 bear a shaft 108, which at its back side is provided with a pinion 109 and with a pair of control arms 110 and 111 supporting control-rollers 112 and 113 respectively. The frame member 105 is furthermore provided with an arm 114, to which a shaft 115 is attached bearing a swivel arm 116. Said arm has a slot 117, which via a'pin 118 cooperates with a sleeve 119 which is rotatably and shiftably mounted on shaft 108. A roller 120 is rotatably mounted on the end of arm 116, which roller can cooperate with a stationary guide 121 (FIG. 6). A frame 122 is mounted on a sleeve 119, the lower side of said frame resting on supwhich a ball bearing 125 is provided. An apparatus for gripping the rim of the bagand forclosing said bag,

' which still will' be described furtheron, has been mounted on shaft 108 so that it cannot rotate relative to the shaft by means'of a key (not shown) which cooperates with key slot 126, but can shift on said shaft in axial direction.

As indicated in FIG. 6 a transverse strip 127 is mounted on the left end of shaft .108, said transverse strip having-a square recess 128. A beam 129 can fall in said recess, which beam 129 is mounted on the end of a swivel arm 130, which itself is rotatably mounted on a shaft 131, which is supported by a support 132, which is fixedly connected with shaft 108. A further support 133 is also fixedly connected with shaft 108 and supports a pivot 134, to which an arm 135 is attached, having at its end a bent portion with a control slot 136 in it. A pin 137 that is mounted on arm can slide in said slot. Arm is by means of a pivot connection 138 connected with a rod 139, which is fixedly connected with the inner side of the bearing 140, the outer side of said bearing being fixedly attached in plate 124. By means of the shape of guide 121 the entirety 120440435436 in FIG. 6 can be moved to the left, so that swivel arm 130 is swung to the right and hence the cooperation between beam 129 and recess 128 is removed.

FIG. 7 shows a view from below of the apparatus of FIG. 1, with which, however, details are drawn, which, for clearitys sake, lack in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6.

As appears more particularly from FIG. 7, the inner side of bearing 140 supports a T-shaped piece 141, on the ends of which guide pins 142 are mounted. Said pins protrude in guide slots 143, recessed in plates 144, which at 145 are rotatably mounted on a frame 146,

which is fixedly mounted on shaft 108. Arms 147 are stationarily'connected with plates 144, said arms supporting at their ends V-shaped claws 148. To the right side of the shaft a pinion 109 is mounted, as already mentioned. Said pinion can cooperate with a stationary toothed rack 149.

As is shown in FIG. 8 to the right rollers 112 and 113 run on guides 150 and 151 respectively, so that the an-'.

" respectively, is interrupted. By this the shaft 108 makes a controlled rotational movement. At the end of toothed rack 149 guides 150 and 151 are again present,

, so that by the cooperation with rollers 112 and'll3 the angular position of shaft 108 is completely determined.

- By meansofa pivot 153 a U-shaped member 154 is furthermore mounted to upright 104, said U-shaped member at its other endlFIG. 1) being provided with a supporting arm 155, at the end of which a guide roll 156 is mounted, running on a guide 157. Said guide always takes the same height, but can be adjusted in height direction when poultry having a different size has to be packed. i

U-shaped member 154 furthermore bears a shaft 158, on which a lever l59 is mounted, bearing on one end a follower roll 160 and on its other end .a cup shaped member 162. Furthermore said cup shaped member 162 supports an arm 163, which by .means'of.

a pivot 164 bears a double lever,-con sisting on the one hand ofa bent arm 165 and on the other hand ofa flap I66. Arm 165 is under the influence ofa tension spring 167, which is fixedly connected with the cup shaped member 162. Furthermore an abutment 168 is pivotally mounted on arm 165. A roller 169 is mounted on a side arm of abutment 168. When roller 169 is moved upwardsby means of a guide 169' (vide FIG. 2), the

- cooperation between abutment 168 and abutment roller 161, shown in FIG. 4- is ended, by which the entirety 165-166-168 is rotated clock-wise about pivot 164 until the position of FIG. 3 is reached under the influence of spring 167. Furthermore aflap 170 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 158, which flap is fixedly connected with an arm 171 which at its end bears a roller 172, that can cooperate with a stationary guide 173 (FIG. 4).

171 moves to the left, so that roller 161 causes bent am to swing counter clockwise about the pivot 164, which causes the swinging to the left of flap 166. At the end of said movement roller 16] begins its locking task after passing beyond the end of the abutment 168.

Then roller 160 cooperates with a guide 176, so that the entirety 159, 162, 166, swings about shaft 158 parts belonging thereto, mounted on shaft 108, is rotated by means of the cooperation of the pinion 109 and toothed rack 149 (FIG. 8). When now the strip and beam 127 and 129 and claws 148 rotate together with shaft 108, which is driven by pinion 109, the bag is twisted. At the same time, however, guide 176 runs back somewhat, so that the entirety 159-173 rotates somewhat to the left about shaft 158. This leads to it that the twisted tail of the bag obtained by the rotation of the strips 127-129 and claws'l48, is formed near the flap 166.

Experienceshows that, if the bag contains a chicken, by this the bag is surrounding the chicken very well and that moreover a more attractive display is obtained.

Thereupon the bag can be closed by means (not shown) using either a. thread, a staple or heat sealing.

Then roller 169 contacts ,an' abutment. (not shown), so that arm 168 is swung clockwise and hence locking roller 161 is unlocked, whereupon under the influence ofspring 167 the two flaps 170 and 166 open again and take the position of FIG. 3.

Frame 100 is mounted on an endless belt (not shown) which has a horizontal portion, in which the above described events take place, then has a turn off downwards and then a lower path. With said downward turn off the chicken packed in a bag leaves the entirety and then can be removed in any suitable way. 7

In the diagram of FIG. 9 the horizontal axis indicatesthe location along the path of the conveyor. At 169' the flaps 170, 166 are opened. After this they may receive a bag. At 173 they are closed. After this guide 176 becomes active and tilts the support with the flaps into the closed position. Guide 121 first activates the V-shaped claws 148 and then the beam 129. Then toothed rack 149 rotates pinion 100. During this rotational movement guide 176 causes the support to tilt back again with the flaps which results in stretching the bag.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for packing one or more objects in a bag, comprising a frame movably mounted along a predetermined track, said frame having a tiltably mounted support for a bag containing said object or objects, two flaps pivotably mounted with respect to said support and defining the entrance to said support, first control means for pivoting said flaps from a first open position into a second position in which the flaps are nearer to each other than in the said first position, interlocking means for locking said flaps in their said second position, second control means for tilting said support together with said flaps, and third control means for-uh! locking said interlocking means, first, second and third control means unlock said interlocking means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said interlocking means automatically locks in response to movement of said flaps to their second position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tiltingmovement is toward and away from a bag closure means. 

1. A device for packing one or more objects in a bag, comprising a frame movably mounted along a predetermined track, said frame having a tiltably mounted support for a bag containing said object or objects, two flaps pivotably mounted with respect to said support and defining the entrance to said support, first control means for pivoting said flaps from a first open position into a second position in which the flaps are nearer to each other than in the said first position, interlocking means for locking said flaps in their said second position, second control means for tilting said support together with said flaps, and third control means for unlocking said interlocking means, first, second and third guides mounted along said predetermined track for effecting operation of said first, second and third control means, respectively, said guides being configured and located such that when said frame moves along said track, first the said first control means move the flaps from the first position into the second position, secondly said support together with said flaps in their second position is tilted and returned, and thirdly the third control means unlock said interlocking means.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said interlocking means automatically locks in response to movement of said flaps to their second position.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tilting movement is toward and away from a bag closure means. 